Adjustable fixing device for a roof drain

ABSTRACT

An adjustable fixing device ( 1 ) for a roof drain ( 2 ) adapted to be mounted in a roof construction consisting of a supporting roof ( 3 ) and a water sealing membrane layer ( 4 ), possibly interleaved with isolation ( 5 ). A first portion of the device ( 1 ) is fastened to the roof drain ( 2 ), or to a part rigidly fastened thereto, and a second portion is fastened to the supporting roof ( 3 ). The device includes a ring-like member, fitting around a pipe ( 9 ) integral with the drain ( 2 ). At least one enclosing member enclose, at least partially, the ring-like member and has a surface adapted to mutually cooperate with at least a part of the ring-like member. At least one tightening member is adapted to apply a pressure on the at least one member, whereby the surface of the at least one member presses on the corresponding surface of the ring-like member, which thereby clamps the pipe ( 9 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns devices in conjunction with a roof drain for the drainage of roofs, and more specifically a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

PRIOR ART

In buildings, especially buildings with large roofs with limited slope, high capacity drainage systems are used. These systems are often designed with drains that are distributed on the roof surface in order to collect great volumes of rainwater. The drains are in turn connected to conduit systems that run under the roof and convey the water to for example a main sewer system.

With these kinds of roofs, where the roof surfaces are large and the slopes are small, say 1:10 to 1:50. The roof construction often consists of three main parts. Externally, there is a watertight membrane, for instance a foil, possibly in multiple layers, acting as a water sealing layer. Under the membrane there is a layer of insulation supported by the (inner) roof that carries the live and dead loads of the roof.

A roof drain for such a roof is connected to the sealing membrane as well as fixed to the supporting roof. The connection between the roof drain and the membrane layer must be watertight; the fixation of the roof drain to the supporting roof must secure the roof drain mechanically to the supporting roof construction. The fixation to the supporting roof can be arranged as a connection between said roof and the neck of the roof drain or a pipe firmly connected to this neck. It is important that this fixation can carry any load the roof drain may be subjected to, in order to reduce the movement between the membrane layer and the drain to a minimum. Such movements may cause cracks in the membrane layer with water leakage as a consequence. The water from such leaks may damage the roof and calls for immediate repairs, which increase the overall costs of maintenance. In the supporting part of these kinds of roofs holes, suitable for the drain pipes are carved/drilled. However, according to prior art, there is no particular system available to provide for the actual fixation between the pipe of the roof drain and the supporting roof. This fixation has to date been constructed by craftsmen with at the moment available means. The fact that the fixation has been improvised relates to some extent to that different roofs have different slopes, therefore different fixation angles to the vertical pipe are necessary.

Such a prior art improvised solution is to use long screws that are screwed from above through the roof drain, through the isolation and into the supporting roof. This solution, apart from being somewhat ad hoc, does not provide for a fixation in all directions; it is still possible for the drain to move both downwards and sideways relative to the supporting roof.

Another improvised solution has been to use wedges that are struck down in between the pipe and the surrounding supporting roof, to wedge up the drain. A drawback with this solution is that it is difficult to achieve a proper fit for the wedges and taking into account the angle between the pipe and the supporting roof. Further, this solution is somewhat arbitrary and it is difficult to achieve repeatable high quality results.

Further, none of the above fixing solutions provide for a sealing between the pipe of the drain and the supporting roof, through which the pipe traverses. This may entail air with high water vapour content to condense against the external membrane or in the insulation layer.

THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND ITS MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS

It is an object of the present invention to propose a solution for or a reduction of the problems of prior art. A main object is consequently to devise a device for fixing and adjusting a roof drain to a supporting roof that is simple and yet provides for a reliable and effective connection adaptable to different roofs with different inclination angles.

According to the invention, this is accomplished by a device of the type mentioned above with the characteristics that are revealed in the characterising portion of claim 1.

According to the invention, a fixation is achieved with a device that has a first portion to be mounted to the drain or to a pipe rigidly connected to the drain and a second portion to be mounted to the supporting roof. The first portion of the device, to be mounted to the drain, includes a ring-like member that fits around the pipe connected to the drain and at least one member that encloses, at least partially, the ring-like member, This at least one member can be made to clamp or squeeze the ring-like member. This is accomplished by at least one tightening member that can tighten the enclosing member around the ring-like member, which in turn tightens around the pipe and clamps it, Such a fixation is reliable and therefore entails low costs of maintenance.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the enclosing member is in the form of two rings that enclose the ring-like member and the pipe and are arranged at a distance from each other, one above the other, trapping the ring-like member between them. The tightening member, which for instance can be one or more bolts running through holes of the two rings can be made to bring the two rings towards each other and gradually squeeze the ring-like member in between, Due to design of the inner surface of the enclosing member and the outer surface of the ring-like member, the squeezing of the two rings will transform into a deformation of the ring-like member. This deformation results in a crimping of the ring-like member, which then clamps the pipe.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the enclosing member has the form of a circle or a ring, but has a slit straight through it. Thus, it looks like a not quite closed circle. This slit has two opposing faces, that, when brought together, decreases the circumscribed inner circumference of the enclosing member. The ring-like member is thereby compressed by the surrounding enclosing member. This compression clamps the pipe.

The form of the ring-like member would preferably be adapted to the kind of enclosing member used. Suitable outer contours include a truncated cone and a spherical surface.

If the ring-like member has a spherical outer surface and the enclosing member has a corresponding inner surface, a kind of ball and socket joint arises. This means that the enclosing member variably can be displaced in relation to the ring-like member, which enables an adjustment to different slopes of the roof, without further means.

Other possibilities to adapt to different slopes include an oblique enclosing member, which when laid flat against a mounting plate forms an angle to the plate. Another possibility is to give the mounting plate itself a form so as to compensate for the slope of the roof.

In both of the above aspects of the invention, the inner ring-like member is designed to be partly deformed under pressure from the enclosing member, in order to tightly clamp the pipe of the drain. The deformation should preferably be resilient, Several options are possible, to accomplish the deformation, For instance, the ring-like member could be fitted with a slit, it could be fitted with a cavity or could be made of a material that in itself is sufficiently resilient or a combination of any of these features.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments exemplifying the invention will now be described, by means of the appended drawings, in which

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates, in section, a roof construction of interest in which a drain is fixed by an adjustable fixing device in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 illustrates, in section, a first embodiment of the adjustable fixing device in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 3 illustrates, in section, a second embodiment of the adjustable fixing device in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 4 illustrates, in section, the use of a ring-like member in shape of a truncated cone,

FIG. 5 illustrates a variant of the adjustable fixing device in accordance with the invention for adapting to the slope of a roof, and

FIG. 6 illustrates a ring-like member in section.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a roof construction in which an adjustable fixing device 1 of the invention is used. The roof includes a membrane layer 4 and a supporting roof 3 with isolation 5 stuck in between. A drain 2 in this figure is connected to the membrane layer 4 and a connecting pipe 9 extends through the supporting roof 3. The drain 2 is fixed to the supporting roof 3 by means of the adjustable fixing device 1.

According to a general concept of the invention, the adjustable fixing device rigidly connects the drainpipe of the drain to the supporting roof by having a first portion connected to the pipe and a second portion connected to the roof. The first portion, to be connected to the pipe, includes a ring-like member, an enclosing member that at least partially encloses the ring-like member and at least one tightening member. The tightening member is adapted to tighten up the enclosing member, which in turn has at least one surface adapted to mutually cooperate with at least a part of the ring-like member, whereby the surface of the enclosing presses on the ring-like member, so as to deform the ring-like member, which then clamps the pipe.

In a first embodiment of the invention, as can be seen in FIG. 2, the enclosing member is in the form of two rings 10, 11 that surround the ring-like member 8. Further, it includes a tightening member 12, here in the form of bolts 12. The outer surface 14 of the ring-like member 8 mutually cooperates with the inner surface 13 of the enclosing members, the two rings 10, 11. In this case, the two surfaces are mutually spherical. As a suggestion, both rings 10, 11 are fitted with through bores and the bores of one of the rings are fitted with threads, whereby tightening can be effected by bolts. When the bolts 12 are tightened, the two rings 10, 11 are brought towards each other. This progressive movement of the rings 10, 11 towards each other creates a compressive forces due to the design of the surfaces 13, 14, that presses the ring-like member 8 against the pipe 9. In this way, the adjustable fixing device 1 becomes fixed to the pipe 9. In the figure, a denotes the angle that is formed between the perpendicular of the roof and the general direction of the pipe 9, This angle will vary with different slopes of different roofs.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention. In this case, the enclosing member, enclosing the ring-like member 8, comprises a one-piece ring 20 or circle with a slit 19 in it. The slit creates two opposing faces 17, 18, which, according to the invention, are brought towards each other. The tightening member 12 is a bolt 12, for instance, that traverses the enclosing member 20, across the slit 19. When the bolt is tightened, it will force the faces 17, 18 of the slit together. In this way, the enclosing member 20 will squeeze and deform the ring-like member 8, which then clamps the pipe 9. Again, a denotes the angle that is formed between the perpendicular of the roof and the general direction of the pipe 9.

The design of the ring-like member 8 could take many forms. The basic idea is that it is adapted to the enclosing member, with one or more surfaces that cooperate with one or more surfaces of the enclosing member. When the surfaces of the enclosing member moves, they act on the cooperating surfaces of the ring-like member compressing the ring-like member. One possible design to achieve this compression is shown in FIG. 4. Here the ring-like member has the outer form of a slotted truncated cone. The enclosing member is in the form of two rings, one pressing ring 30 and one base ring 31. The base ring 31 has an oblique surface in which the ring-like member 8 fits. The pressing ring 30 is situated opposite the base ring 31 and rests on the ring-like member 8. In order to compress the ring-like member 8, the pressing ring 30 presses on the ring-like member 8, forcing it down between the oblique surface of the base ring 31 and the pipe 9, Due to the cooperating action of said oblique surface and the surface of the ring-like member, the ring-like member 8 is clamped to the pipe 9. In the figure, a denotes the angle that is formed between the perpendicular of the roof and the general direction of the pipe 9.

Another possible design of the ring-like member 8 is spherical. (FIG. 2.) The outer surface 14 of the ring-like member 8 is thus spherical and the corresponding surface 13 of the enclosing member 10, 11 is also spherical. The principle of clamping the ring remains the same; the enclosing member is made pressing on the ring-like member, which then clamps the pipe. Because of the spherical surface of the ring-like member, a special feature of this joint occurs; it is possible clamp the ring in different positions, which transforms into different slopes of the pipe. It is thus possible to compensate for an arbitrary slope of the roof. For this spherical design of the ring-like member, it is not necessary for the enclosing member to be two rings, like in FIG. 2, it will work just as well with one ring, as in FIG. 3.

The adjustable fixing device 1 includes a portion 7 that can be fixed to the supporting roof. It could for instance be a mounting plate that is secured to said roof by any suitable means, such as nails, screws, etc. The mounting plate could be integral with the enclosing member 10, or it could be fixed to said member 10 by suitable means, such as the tightening bolts 12.

Different buildings have different slopes of their roofs. In order for the vertical pipe of the drain to be fastened to these roofs, the varying angle between the roof and the pipe has to be considered in the adjustable fixing device. As seen above, one possible solution for achieving this is to use a spherical design of the ring-like member/enclosing member. Another possibility, e.g. when the ring-like member has the form of a truncated cone, is to adapt the enclosing member to the desired roof slope. This adaptation could be an inclined fitting of the ring-like member in the enclosing member or it could be an inclined surface of the enclosing member resting on the mounting plate. Thus, in the latter case, the enclosing member is given a shape resembling a wedge. This can be seen in FIG. 4, where the base ring 31 is slightly wedge-like and thus adopts for the angle α.

Yet another possibility would be to have the second portion 7 of the adjustable fixing device, e.g. a mounting plate, to adapt to the roof slope by having a height compensation means as a function of roof slope. Said height compensation means would keep the neck of the drain, or a pipe connected to said neck, vertical in use while adapting the second portion 7 to the slope of the roof. The compensation means could for instance be a bending of the mounting plate in suitable positions. (FIG. 5) It could also be a distance piece, screws with different lengths or any arrangement that adjusts for the slooped roof.

If a solution for adapting the adjustable fixing device to the slope of the roof, with some part of the adjustable fixing device adapted to a certain roof slope, is used, another such part must be used with a roof of another slope.

The deformation of the ring-like member can be made possible in different ways. For instance with a slit 15, a cavity 16 (FIG. 6) or being made of a resilient material. If the ring-like member is made with a cavity 16, it will promote resilient action because of the space that arise between the ring-like member and the pipe, allowing a flexing of the ring-like member. Also, in this way the area of the ring-like member that bears on the pipe will decrease, increasing the local pressure on the pipe. This enhances clamping.

The enclosing member of the above embodiments may of course have any other shape than circular, e.g. rectangular, as long as the inner surface fits around the pipe. For instance, said inner surface could thus be circular to fit a circular pipe,

Because of the compact construction, the device according to the invention proves to provide a fairly airtight seal between the space above the supporting roof and the space below. The airtight construction reduces problems with water condensation in the space above the supporting roof. If an absolute airtight construction is needed, the device of the invention could possibly be supplemented with suitable seals. 

1. An adjustable fixing device (1) for a roof drain (2) adapted to be mounted in a roof construction consisting of a supporting roof (3) and a water sealing membrane layer (4), possibly interleaved with isolation (5), a first portion (8,10,11,8,20;8,30,31) of the device (1) being fastened to the roof drain (2), or to a part rigidly fastened thereto, and a second portion (7) being fastened to the supporting roof (3), thereby fixing the roof drain (2) in respect of the supporting roof (3), characterised in that the first portion (8,10,11;8,20;8,30,31) includes: a ring-like member (8), fitting around a pipe (9) integral with the drain (2) or around a pipe rigidly connected with the drain (2), at least one enclosing member (10,11;20;30,31) which at least partially enclose the ring-like member and having a surface (13) adapted to mutually cooperate with at least a part (14) of the ring-like member (8), at least one tightening member (12) adapted to apply a pressure on the at least one enclosing member (10,11;20;30,31), whereby the surface (13) of the at least one enclosing member (10,11;20;30,31) presses on the corresponding surface (14) of the ring-like member, deforming the ring-like member, which thereby clamps the pipe (9).
 2. An adjustable fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the enclosing member being two in number (10,11;30,31), respectively, having at least an inner form of an annular ring, arranged at a distance from each other, a plurality of tightening members (12), adapted to apply a pressure on the two enclosing members (10,11;30,31), whereby the two enclosing members (10,11;30,31) are brought towards each other, so as to clamp the ring-like member (8) there between.
 3. An adjustable fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the enclosing member (20) having at least an inner form of an annular ring, surrounding the ring-like member, and having a slit with two opposing faces (17,18), the tightening member (12) being adapted to apply a pressure on the enclosing member (10) to bring the two faces (17,18) towards each other, and thereby to clamp the ring-like member (8).
 4. An adjustable fixing device according to claim 2, characterised in that the ring-like member (8) has the form of a truncated cone.
 5. An adjustable fixing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the outer surface (14) of the ring-like member (8) is spherical, the inner surface (13) of the enclosing member (10), facing the surface (14) of the ring-like member, is spherical fitting around the surface (14) of the ring-like member (8), whereby these surfaces are adapted to engage each other at different angles and thus adjust the load fixing device to roofs of different slopes.
 6. An adjustable fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second portion (7) has height compensation means as a function of roof slope, so as to keep the neck of the drain, or a pipe connected to said neck, vertical in use while adapting the second portion (7) to the slope of the roof.
 7. An adjustable fixing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the deformation of the ring-like member is due to that the ring-like member exhibits one or more of the features selected from the group consisting of: a slit (15), a cavity (16), and being made of a resilient material. 